What are the British Like
Oct 9th 2007, 2:13 am
#106
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
Re: What are the British Like
I know, one satirical news organization does not a culture make. But it does exist and I would be remiss if I didn't gloat! Just a little.
Oct 9th 2007, 2:58 am
#107
now I know my J,C,B's
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 2,215
Re: What are the British Like
I always thought the Onion must be British. Hell, everyone knows us Yanks have no sense of humor and are unable to make fun of ourselves.
I know, one satirical news organization does not a culture make. But it does exist and I would be remiss if I didn't gloat! Just a little.
I know, one satirical news organization does not a culture make. But it does exist and I would be remiss if I didn't gloat! Just a little.
Oct 9th 2007, 8:23 am
#109
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,583
Re: What are the British Like
They don't watch 'The Simpsons' or 'South Park? I hear they're big in the UK.
Oct 10th 2007, 11:43 am
#111
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 8,497
Re: What are the British Like
Ok, now, dont jump down my neck, this is a genuine question. How does it work?
I mean is it just personal choice the heritage that you hyphenate? Or do people normally go with the larger part or the mothers side or the fathers side or what? I mean this guy has 1/2 German, 1/4 Swedish, 1/8 Dutch, 1/16th belgian and 1/16th Irish heritage, but he chooses the 1/16th Irish part. Why? That strikes me as not really being motivated by embracing his heritage (cos he's ignoring the largest part of his heritage), more being motivated by what he thinks is "cool". Or did he go down the list -German? nah, the war. Swedish? - nah, dont like meatballs. Dutch?...hmmm, they've never upset anyone, and they're pretty laid back hmm get back to them. Belgian? - too boring. Irish - love a drop of the black stuff - bingo! I'm Irish! Ok the article was taking the p1$$ (as, hopefully, is the one next to it - Ho Ho Ho I saw you masturbating
) as is my response to it, but I have a couple of friends that "hyphenate" a 1/8th heritage over a 1/4 heritage. It doesn't actually bother me - I find it a bit odd, but quite quaint, in the way I guess a lot of our customs back home are to foreigners. Ok, task for the week - ask them why! 2nd task, work out what the kids are going to be!
I mean is it just personal choice the heritage that you hyphenate? Or do people normally go with the larger part or the mothers side or the fathers side or what? I mean this guy has 1/2 German, 1/4 Swedish, 1/8 Dutch, 1/16th belgian and 1/16th Irish heritage, but he chooses the 1/16th Irish part. Why? That strikes me as not really being motivated by embracing his heritage (cos he's ignoring the largest part of his heritage), more being motivated by what he thinks is "cool". Or did he go down the list -German? nah, the war. Swedish? - nah, dont like meatballs. Dutch?...hmmm, they've never upset anyone, and they're pretty laid back hmm get back to them. Belgian? - too boring. Irish - love a drop of the black stuff - bingo! I'm Irish! Ok the article was taking the p1$$ (as, hopefully, is the one next to it - Ho Ho Ho I saw you masturbating
) as is my response to it, but I have a couple of friends that "hyphenate" a 1/8th heritage over a 1/4 heritage. It doesn't actually bother me - I find it a bit odd, but quite quaint, in the way I guess a lot of our customs back home are to foreigners. Ok, task for the week - ask them why! 2nd task, work out what the kids are going to be!I have a friend who grew up in the Polish part of our town, attends a church where sermons are often given in Polish, studied the Polish language, and her family observes many Polish customs. Her wedding was really cool, and she went to Poland for her honeymoon. See a trend?
Her ancestry is Polish, and that culture is very much a part of her world today. Now, does she call herself "Polish-American"? No clue - but I wouldn't be surprised.I would put her in a different group than Mr. 1/16 Irish. But I guess, he's not doing any harm is he? (Let's hope he doesn't give $$ to the IRA - I was told in Ireland that many "Irish-Americans" do just that.)
I think it's common for Americans to be interested in their ancestry - I could probably lay out the fractions for my background - but generally just say "Scandinavia/British Isles" when I've been asked. Close enough. I don't identify as a "Swedish-American" - which would be the majority of my background ... but it is neat to have some of the history - it made visiting the country that much more special for me. Our last name appeared on a street sign, etc. and you can imagine what it may have been like for them to have lived there. For that matter, I'd probably feel the same way about areas my family has lived in the US.
Oct 10th 2007, 11:54 am
#113
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 8,497
Oct 10th 2007, 12:01 pm
#114
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: What are the British Like
So why does it bother you? Most people born in the US are descended from foreign born immigrants. When someone says I'm Irish they are referring to their ancestry they're are not claiming Irish nationality.
A lot of immigrants suppressed their identity due to discrimination in the past, changing their names to fit in.
A lot of immigrants suppressed their identity due to discrimination in the past, changing their names to fit in.
Also, what would the children that are born here and return home to another country with their parents call themselves?
Oct 10th 2007, 1:24 pm
#115
.
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: What are the British Like
That was the second part of my question (about my kids..). I actually caught my eldest son (6) telling someone tonight that he is Singaporean....err, well, not quite son....he was born there, lived there for the first 18 months of his life, but that doesn't make him singaporean. In fact, if you've ever seen a birth certificate for a foreigner born in Singapore, they make it quite clear - big red letters right across the top - "This certificate is not evidence of, nor entitlement to Singaporean citizenship". I dont know what he is going to "be" but it sure as heck isn't Singaporean...
Oct 11th 2007, 4:23 am
#116
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 177
Re: What are the British Like
read a funny article last week ...
alistair magowan was talking about how scottish he was , and that hed even sung the national anthem before a game at murrayfield , or something like that , then he was asked by the bbc to take part in the series "who do you think you are ?"
turns out he is INDIAN !!!
alistair magowan was talking about how scottish he was , and that hed even sung the national anthem before a game at murrayfield , or something like that , then he was asked by the bbc to take part in the series "who do you think you are ?"
turns out he is INDIAN !!!
Oct 11th 2007, 4:38 am
#117
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 177
Re: What are the British Like
or not , depending on how you think
